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Visconti Castle (Abbiategrasso)
The Visconti Castle of Abbiategrasso is a mediaeval castle located in Abbiategrasso, Lombardy, northern Italy. It lies on the Naviglio Grande axis toward Milan. From its towers the navigation along the canal could be controlled. In the 15th century it was one of the preferred residences of the dukes and duchesses of Milan. History The Visconti Castle of Abbiategrasso was probably built at the end of the 13th century on the site of a previous fortification (''Castro Margazario'') near a Benedictine monastery. First Azzone Visconti (1329–1339), lord of Milan, and then Gian Galeazzo Visconti (1378–1402), the first duke of Milan, enlarged the castle. In 1438 it was restored and embellished by Duke Filippo Maria Visconti, son of Gian Galeazzo. Having lost any defensive function, and being easily reachable from Milan by water along the Naviglio Grande, it became his favorite country mansion. The castle had the typical Visconti castle's structure: a quadrangular layout, with an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abbiategrasso
Abbiategrasso, formerly written Abbiate Grasso. (local lmo, Biegrass ; lmo, label=Milanese, Biaa ), is a ''comune'' and town in the Metropolitan City of Milan, Lombardy, northern Italy, situated in the Po valley approximately from Milan and from Pavia. History The town dates from Roman times. Its name indicates that it was part of a territory known as "'the fertile valley": a document of 1304 referring to the ''Habiate qui dicitur Grasso'', a title that gradually transformed into Abbiategrasso. Abbiategrasso received the honorary title of city with a royal decree of 31 March 1932. Main sights *The Visconti Castle (Italian: ''Castello Visconteo''), built in 1382 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti above a pre-existing 13th-century fortification. It was enlarged and decorated by Filippo Maria Visconti after 1438. It has a quadrangular plan with angular towers, and the interior has Renaissance frescoes and graffiti. The central court has a portico. *Basilica church of ''Santa Maria Nu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Order Of Saint Benedict
The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict ( la, Ordo Sancti Benedicti, abbreviated as OSB), are a Christian monasticism, monastic Religious order (Catholic), religious order of the Catholic Church following the Rule of Saint Benedict. They are also sometimes called the Black Monks, in reference to the colour of their religious habits. They were founded by Benedict of Nursia, a 6th-century monk who laid the foundations of Benedictine monasticism through the formulation of his Rule of Saint Benedict. Despite being called an order, the Benedictines do not operate under a single hierarchy but are instead organised as a collection of autonomous monasteries. The order is represented internationally by the Benedictine Confederation, an organisation set up in 1893 to represent the order's shared interests. They do not have a superior general or motherhouse with universal jurisdiction, but elect an Abbot Primate to represent themselves to the Holy See, Vatican and to the worl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sforza
The House of Sforza () was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy, based in Milan. They acquired the Duchy of Milan following the extinction of the Visconti family in the mid-15th century, Sforza rule ending in Milan with the death of the last member of the family's main branch in 1535. History The first son of Muzio Attendolo Sforza, Francesco I Sforza, married Bianca Maria (1425–1468) in 1441. She was the daughter and only heir of the last Duke of Milan, (Filippo Maria Visconti). He thus acquired the title of Duke of Milan (1450–1466), ruled Milan for 16 years, and made the Sforzas the heirs of the house of Visconti. The family also held the seigniory of Pesaro, starting with Muzio Attendolo's second son, Alessandro (1409–1473). The Sforza held Pesaro until 1512, after the death of Costanzo II Sforza. Muzio's third son, Bosio (1411–1476), founded the branch of Santa Fiora, who held the title of count of Cotignola; the Sforza ruled the small county of Santa Fiora in so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bianca Maria Visconti
Bianca Maria Visconti (31 March 1425 – 28 October 1468) was Duchess of Milan from 1450 to 1468 by marriage to Francesco I Sforza. She was regent of Marche during the absence of her spouse in 1448. She served as Regent of the Duchy of Milan during the illness of her spouse in 1462, as well as in 1466, between the death of her spouse and until her son, the new Duke, who was absent, was able to return to Milan to assume power. Biography Early years Born near Settimo Pavese, Bianca Maria was the illegitimate daughter of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan and last of the Visconti rulers, and Agnese del Maino. Agnese was the daughter of Ambrogio del Maino, a Milanese nobleman and ducal questore. Agnese served as Lady-in-Waiting to Filippo's wife, Beatrice di Tenda. The couple had a second daughter, called Caterina Maria or Lucia Maria, also born in Settimo in 1426, but she died shortly after her birth. When she was six months old, Bianca Maria and her mother were sent to a cast ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agnese Del Maino
Agnese del Maino (c. 1411 – 13 December 1465) was a Milanese noblewoman and the mistress of Filippo Maria Visconti, the last legitimate duke of Milan of the Visconti dynasty. Agnese was the mother of Duchess Bianca Maria Visconti. Family Agnese was born around 1411 in Milan. She was the daughter of Ambrogio del Maino, a Count Palatine and ducal ''questore'' or chief of police. Her mother's name and identity is unknown. Agnese had two brothers, Lancillotto del Maino and Andreotto del Maino, who were both courtiers and members of the ducal council. She became the mistress of Filippo Maria Visconti, the last duke of Milan of the Visconti dynasty, whose wife Beatrice Lascaris di Tenda had been executed for adultery in 1418 and had produced no children. Birth of a daughter On 31 March 1425 at Settimo Pavese, at approximately age 14, Agnese gave birth to Filippo's daughter, whom they named Bianca Maria. When the baby was six months old, Agnese and Bianca Maria were sent to the c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Visconti Castle (Cusago)
The Visconti Castle, or Castello Visconteo, is a castle in the town of Cusago near Milan, Lombardy, Northern Italy. It was built in the 14th century by Bernabò Visconti and used as a hunting lodge by him and other Visconti family members. The castle underwent significant changes in the Renaissance period; today, it is in neglected conditions. History Bernabò Visconti was lord of Milan between 1354 and 1385. He ordered the construction of the castle of Cusago in 1370. It had a quadrilateral layout, and a single tower over the entrance, features conserved until today. It was created as a country residence and connected to a hunting park. The most extended side measured 96 meters. The court of Bernabò Visconti frequently attended the castle. After the dethronement of Bernabò, the building passed to his nephew Gian Galeazzo, the first duke of Milan. Between 1425 and 1440, Duke Filippo Maria Visconti took great care of the castle and the surrounding park. His mistress Agnese del ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biscione
The ''biscione'' or ''bisson'' . ("big grass snake"), less commonly known also as the ''vipera'' ("viper"), is a heraldic charge showing on argent an azure serpent in the act of eating or giving birth to a human. It is a historic symbol of the city of Milan, used by companies based in the city. History Etymologically, word ''biscione'' is a masculine augmentative of Italian feminine ''biscia'' "grass snake" (corrupted from ''bistia'', ultimately from Latin "beast"). The charge became associated with the city after the Visconti family gained control over Milan 1277; Bonvesin da la Riva records it in his ''De magnalibus urbis Mediolani'' (''On the Marvels of the City of Milan'') as a Visconti symbol no later than the end of the 13th century. The symbol may have been derived from a bronzed serpent brought to Milan from Constantinople by Arnolf II of Arsago (Archbishop of Milan 998–1018) in the 11th century. One of the oldest depictions of the Biscione is in the Grea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bracket (architecture)
A bracket is an architectural element: a structural or decorative member. It can be made of wood, stone, plaster, metal, or other media. It projects from a wall, usually to carry weight and sometimes to "...strengthen an angle". A corbel or console are types of brackets. In mechanical engineering a bracket is any intermediate component for fixing one part to another, usually larger, part. What makes a bracket a bracket is that it is intermediate between the two and fixes the one to the other. Brackets vary widely in shape, but a prototypical bracket is the L-shaped metal piece that attaches a shelf (the smaller component) to a wall (the larger component): its vertical arm is fixed to one (usually large) element, and its horizontal arm protrudes outwards and holds another (usually small) element. This shelf bracket is effectively the same as the architectural bracket: a vertical arm mounted on the wall, and a horizontal arm projecting outwards for another element to be attached o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mullioned Windows
A mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between units of a window or screen, or is used decoratively. It is also often used as a division between double doors. When dividing adjacent window units its primary purpose is a rigid support to the glazing of the window. Its secondary purpose is to provide structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Horizontal elements separating the head of a door from a window above are called transoms. History Stone mullions were used in Armenian, Saxon and Islamic architecture prior to the 10th century. They became a common and fashionable architectural feature across Europe in Romanesque architecture, with paired windows divided by a mullion, set beneath a single arch. The same structural form was used for open arcades as well as windows, and is found in galleries and cloisters. In Gothic architecture windows became larger and arrangements of multiple mullions and openings were used, both for structure and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brick
A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured construction blocks. Bricks can be joined using mortar, adhesives or by interlocking them. Bricks are usually produced at brickworks in numerous classes, types, materials, and sizes which vary with region and time period, and are produced in bulk quantities. ''Block'' is a similar term referring to a rectangular building unit composed of similar materials, but is usually larger than a brick. Lightweight bricks (also called lightweight blocks) are made from expanded clay aggregate. Fired bricks are one of the longest-lasting and strongest building materials, sometimes referred to as artificial stone, and have been used since circa 4000 BC. Air-dried bricks, also known as mud-bricks, have a history older than fired bricks, and have an additi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cultures, including most Western cultures. Some noteworthy examples of porticos are the East Portico of the United States Capitol, the portico adorning the Pantheon in Rome and the portico of University College London. Porticos are sometimes topped with pediments. Palladio was a pioneer of using temple-fronts for secular buildings. In the UK, the temple-front applied to The Vyne, Hampshire, was the first portico applied to an English country house. A pronaos ( or ) is the inner area of the portico of a Greek or Roman temple, situated between the portico's colonnade or walls and the entrance to the ''cella'', or shrine. Roman temples commonly had an open pronaos, usually with only columns and no walls, and the pronaos could be as long as th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Duchy Of Milan
The Duchy of Milan ( it, Ducato di Milano; lmo, Ducaa de Milan) was a state in northern Italy, created in 1395 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, then the lord of Milan, and a member of the important Visconti family, which had been ruling the city since 1277. At that time, it included twenty-six towns and the wide rural area of the middle Padan Plain east of the hills of Montferrat. During much of its existence, it was wedged between Savoy to the west, Venice to the east, the Swiss Confederacy to the north, and separated from the Mediterranean by Genoa to the south. The duchy was at its largest at the beginning of the 15th century, at which time it included almost all of what is now Lombardy and parts of what are now Piedmont, Veneto, Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. Under the House of Sforza, Milan experienced a period of great prosperity with the introduction of the silk industry, becoming one of the wealthiest states during the Renaissance. From the late 15th century, the Duchy of M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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